Field
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for automatic shading of a portion of a vehicle window and, more particularly, for determining where to shade the window to prevent, or reduce an amount of, sunlight from reaching the eyes of the driver and for controlling liquid crystals of the window to provide the shade.
Description of the Related Art
Most conventional vehicles include a sun visor for a driver and a sun visor for a passenger. These sun visors are attached to an interior of the vehicle cabin above the windshield. A typical sun visor can rotate to a position in which it covers a portion of the windshield or a driver or passenger window. Conventional sun visors have a length of approximately 6 inches that may cover a portion of a windshield or window, such as the top one third to one quarter of the windshield, when fully extended. Conventional sun visors are opaque and have no transparency.
In some locations, such as on flat areas of land in the western United States, the shade afforded by sun visors may provide insufficient shade or blocking of the sun. This may be especially true for a period of time after dawn and before dusk. During these times direct sunlight can shine through the windshield at a location below the reach of the sun visors and shine in the driver's and front passenger's eyes. This direct sunlight is not only unpleasant and hazardous to the health of the driver and passenger (as it can cause eye damage) but it also creates dangerous driving conditions. For example, a driver may not be capable of seeing the current conditions of the road if the sun is shining directly into his or her eyes.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods for providing shade on a vehicle window to reduce an amount of direct sunlight shining into a driver's or passenger's eyes.